The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to a replacement motherboard configuration system and method.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system (IHS). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
It is well known in the art that IHSs generally have a primary printed circuit board known as a motherboard to provide electrical and logical connections for components of the IHS, to process information, and to communicate among various components of the IHS and outside of the IHS. A typical motherboard includes a processor (and/or a processor socket), a memory I/O hub, connection sockets, and/or a variety of other devices. Before an IHS is shipped from a factory, the motherboard is generally configured using software or firmware allowing the motherboard to operate in a specific way. For example, IHSs destined for certain countries are not configured to process information using certain encryption modes, while other IHSs using the same or similar motherboard destined for different countries may be configured to operate using the encryption modes.
Unfortunately, the motherboards occasionally need to be replaced due to part failure or other reasons. Suppliers of replacement motherboards generally want to stock the replacement motherboards unconfigured (e.g., configured after leaving the supplier to match the configuration of the original motherboard) so that the supplier does not have to stock different motherboards for all of the different configurations available. Thus, replacement motherboards are generally configured after being received at the location of the IHS customer.
When the IHS is new at the factory, the motherboard is configurable using hardware and software tools in the factory. These tools use an interface to modify specific offsets within a manageability engine firmware region to change settings. Some configurations may cost the customer extra when they are selected. In some instances, manufacturers have simplified the possible configuration options into several identifiable stock keeping units (SKUs) for customers. In other instances, there may be many more configurations available. These SKUs are selectable for the motherboard when a customer orders an IHS. This flexibility for the customer becomes difficult for the suppliers of replacement motherboards because the only way to distinguish dispatched replacement motherboards is by part number and certain motherboards have the same part number, even if the manageability engine is configured to a different SKU when the original motherboard was shipped to the customer. A supplier of replacement motherboards may not “touch” the replacement motherboards to configure them prior to arriving at the customer location. Therefore, without a solution, the customer may receive a replacement motherboard that does not behave the same as the board that it replaced. To allow the customer to configure the motherboard after receiving the replacement motherboard IHS manufacturers may supply a compact disk (CD) with every replacement motherboard. This CD boots and configures the system to match the replaced motherboard. However, this is expensive, may be misapplied by the customer, and the CD may be misplaced.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved replacement motherboard configuration system and method, absent the deficiencies discussed above.